Sazai Hall of the Five Hundred Rakan Temple (Gohyaku Rakan Sazaido), from the series “One Hundred Famous Views of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)”
Medium
Color woodblock print; oban
Dimensions
34 × 22.4 cm (13 3/8 × 8 13/16 in.)
Classification
woodblock print
Department
Arts of Asia
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
196787
Rights
Public Domain
Art Historical Context
In Utagawa Hiroshige *Sazai Hall of Five Hundred Rakan TempleGohyaku Rakan Sazaido)* from his renowned series *One Hundred Famous of Edo (Meisho Edo hyakkei)*, created in 1857 we glimpse a serene corner of Edo (modern-day Tokyo) during Japan's Edo period. This color woodblock print, in the standard oban format (34 × 22.4 cm), captures the Gohyaku Rakan Temple Sazai Hall in Meguro, famed for its 500 stone statues of rakan—enlightened disciples of the Buddha. Hiroshige, a master of the ukiyo-e ("pictures of the floating world") tradition, immortalized these sites just before Japan's forced opening to the West, preserving a vanishing urban-rural harmony. The print showcases the temple's winding path lined with weathered rakan figures, evoking a sense of spiritual mystery amid lush greenery and misty hills. Hiroshige's genius lies in his atmospheric effects—subtle gradients of color achieved through precise woodblock layering—drawing viewers into the scene's quiet reverence. Produced late in his career with collaborator Hiroshige II, this work from the series' 118 prints highlights Edo's cultural landmarks, blending landscape mastery with everyday poetry. Housed in the Art Institute of Chicago's Arts of Asia department, it exemplifies woodblock printing's democratic appeal, making elite views accessible to all. A testament to Hiroshige's enduring legacy, it invites us to ponder impermanence in a changing world.
About the Artist
Utagawa Hiroshige · 1826–1869
Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858), born Andō Tokutarō, was the last great master of Japanese ukiyo-e woodblock printmaking and one of the most influential landscape artists in history. Born in Edo (modern Tokyo) into a low-ranking samurai family serving as fire wardens, Hiroshige transformed landscape printmaking into a poetic meditation on nature, weather, and everyday life. His revolutionary approac...